TRENTON, NJ…Alan Kass of Brooklyn, New York was chosen as the recipient of the 2002 Babe Ruth Baseball “Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award”.  This award was established in 1991 to continue the great name of the late Lefty Gomez, who served as a member of the Babe Ruth League, Inc. Board of Directors for 25 years.  Gomez was extremely fond of the many volunteers in Babe Ruth Baseball who put so much of their time and effort into making the total program successful.  Lefty always said it was the volunteer who was the backbone in making Babe Ruth Baseball the number one amateur baseball program in the world.

Selected from over 1 million volunteers throughout the United States and Canada, Kass was chosen to receive this prestigious award because of his outstanding contributions to the Babe Ruth Baseball program and the youth it represents.

Alan Kass has been involved with Babe Ruth Baseball since 1967.  He has held numerous leadership positions including League Commissioner, League President and District Commissioner prior to being elected as Metro New York State Commissioner in 1987, a position he still holds today. 

“The ‘Lefty Gomez Volunteer of the Year Award’ is the highest award bestowed in Babe Ruth Baseball,” said Babe Ruth President/CEO Ron Tellefsen.  “Its recipient must embody the spirit of the Babe Ruth League philosophy, which is to provide the best possible sports experience for every child that has the desire to play.  Alan Kass certainly exemplifies this philosophy.”

“I am proud to receive this distinguished award,” said Kass.  “I have enjoyed every minute of my involvement with the program.  Next to my family, it is the one thing in the world I can truly say I love.”

Babe Ruth League, Inc. is a non-profit, educational organization dedicated to developing better citizens by providing properly supervised baseball and softball competition for 5 through 18-year-old players.  It is the basic intent of Babe Ruth League, Inc. that every candidate be given the opportunity to play in the program.